A studebts’ representative on the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) board, Umar Lawal, has faulted the claim by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, that President Bola Tinubu directed government-owned tertiary institutions to increase tuition fees, asking him to prove his claim.

He insisted that the individual tertiary institutions’ charge review should not be attributed to the president, as federal and state institutions have governing structures and authorities that determine institutional charges within applicable regulations.

Lawal, who was reacting to a statement attributed to the former vice president that he would review NELFUND if elected president, said Tinubu never ordered federal or state-owned tertiary institutions to increase tuition fees.

He challenged Atiku, his team and heads of tertiary institutions across the country to produce any presidential directive, circular, memo, letter or official document supporting the allegation.

Lawal called for political debates on education to be anchored on facts and verifiable evidence, particularly when such claims could affect public perception of policies designed to support Nigerian students.

He also rejected the characterisation of NELFUND as merely a government response to alleged increases in school fees, describing the fund as a broader intervention aimed at expanding access to tertiary education and easing financial pressure on students and their families.